Youths with a parent in prison, juvenile justice history three times likely to get depression, PTSD than peers

Young adults with a childhood history of both personal involvement in the juvenile justice system as well as a parent in jail are nearly three times more likely to have depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to peers without any such experience. They are also nearly twice as likely to have anxiety compared to young adults without childhood exposure to the criminal justice system, says a new study.

“Exposure to both parental incarceration (imprisonment) and juvenile justice involvement was associated with a greater risk of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder,” says the study published in JAMA Network Open.